Preah Khan Temple

Hello and welcome again to Forgotten Temples with myself Mr. B. Now you find us again in the Angkor Wat complex and that's due to the monsoon rains. Those dusty tracks I travel down have turned into little more than rivers of mud and it has afforded us a wonderful opportunity. Have a look at this. This is the entrance to the mighty Priya Khan. Usually proliferated with tourists but due to C19 now empty. Now Priya Khan has a very special place because Priya Khan itself means the sacred sword and a bit like having a crown it is one of those add-ons that a king, a monarch has to show his authority. And whilst we're here it's not just this entrance way because the flank here, and if I ask the cameraman to look up, we can see a most splendid Naga, the multi-headed serpents. And I have a little bit of a tale to tell you about serpents because I was just filming at another temple where there was a golden area where there was a particularly special Naga and as I drove away and I was going through the lovely leafy lanes a snake appeared on my bike on the handlebars as I looked down to just and there is a snake weaving its way through it to my handlebars. I mean which is absolutely fantastic isn't it because I mean I've been chased by dogs, I've been knee deep in leeches, I've been surrounded by rats but a snake on the bike I think that's in at number one. And here at the entrance way we see something we so very rarely see and it's an absolute delight, statues. Yes they're missing their heads but we've got the majority haven't we and what we have at this temple which is built to hold that sacred sword is these mighty warriors and look at this with this enormous sword and there's something else I wish to point out here and that is these belts that they're wearing. Now you've got to bear in mind we're in an extremely hot country and I've been told that these belts would be used a bit like the epaulettes in our western armies, our modern armies because depending on what this belt was made of and how it was designed be it silver, gold, whatever would display your rank in the army because of course you're not going to be walking around with a shirt on so that is very interesting. And here we enter in and the experience for that is what it is, is quite remarkable. I mean have a look at these doorways and it may not show on the screen too clearly but what is happening here is each doorway you go through is getting smaller and smaller and smaller. It really is a beautiful place and you're thinking well why would they make the door smaller and smaller and smaller? Well there is a very solid reason and that is it's forcing you to bow because in here once was a statue to the king's father so by making these doorways consecutively smaller it is forcing you into a more humble pose, that of bowing and if you want a temple that has well all that ancient flavour to it well you can't beat this one because just walking through these doorways is almost a religious experience and I'm now ducking down more and more and more. It is an absolutely wonderful place and as we close into the very centre of the temple we meet yet more religion. Here is a linga, yes a Shiva linga. Well we've mentioned these quite a few times so we're going to move on because there's something very special here and that is a stupa and this is a super stupa. Yes I actually did say that deliberately and I do apologise and let's pause because it doesn't get more ancient feeling than this does it? It's absolutely fantastic. Now what these stupas are for is for placing the ashes of those that have passed but it was at this very spot, if you recall me mentioning the king's father's statue, well it was here where it used to be and this is why you may be picking up some echo because it's quite a grand room but that statue was taken and in its place is this wonder. Right and we're closing in on that sacred place that actually held the king's sword and look here's another one of those guardians and he himself has a sword which is an indicator isn't it, you know, of what is happening here. Here is a very large room but we need to swing a left. This is a very big temple you see and over there is our target, this is our holy of holies and the whole reason this temple was built and that is just wildly interesting to me. Now I've come here before and I always wondered about this building and it is so refreshing to have somebody actually inform me for its reason because it reminds me very much of ancient Greek or something that belongs in a Roman city. Now have a look at this, it is absolutely unique compared to anything else I've seen and it does show the level of importance that this article had. This sword, this golden sword that once dwelled up here was a symbol of office, it was a badge of state and as such it was almost divine I suppose but the one question to me is where did it go? It will be such a remarkable thing to see. So this is our final stop at Priya Khan, the temple of the sacred sword and what is interesting if we use our imagination it was here the sword of state was kept safe and the way they got to it when it was needed for ceremony was you'd wheel in a staircase, up you would climb and with much reverence you would bring it down and I'm assured that only the highest of priests would be allowed to touch such a symbol and then after the big day when it's used of course it is returned to its rightful place. This is a fantastic temple and if you've enjoyed it why not let me know. Please like, subscribe and comment as always and if you could drop in a bit of petrol into the old tank of the I would be truly grateful and for that it's www.patreon.com forward slash temples. From another fantastic holy site with so much history it has been myself Mr B and as always I wish you absolutely nothing but the very best. You take good care.